Scrapes or Minor Cuts

Scrapes and minor cuts happen easily. You can accidently fall getting out of your car and scrape your knee or cut your finger while slicing a tomato.

Causes

The causes of cuts are usually due to something sharp like a knife or a razor blade. However, any object with a thin edge, like a cardboard box or even a piece of paper, can slide open the skin. Scrapes are often the result of a fall, especially to hard and rough surfaces like asphalt or concrete. A scrape can also happen by bumping up against something rough like a wooden pallet.

Symptoms

The symptoms of scrapes and cuts include:

Bleeding

Redness or swelling around the wound

Pain or irritation on the skin’s surface

If the scrape or cut becomes infected, you may see these symptoms:

Redness, warmth and swelling

Increased pain from the wound

Pus or drainage from the wound

Fever

Red streaks around the wound

Treatment

Scrapes and minor cuts may be treated at home as long as they’re not too severe. Applying pressure to the scrape or cut can stop the bleeding. Covering the wound with a bandage will help keep it clean. Over-the-counter antibiotic ointment can help prevent infection. Pain relievers like acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil), or naproxen (Aleve) can reduce pain, as well as reduce inflammation.

Cleaning the wound before applying the bandage with water, ethyl alcohol, or hydrogen peroxide is recommended to keep it clean. If the wound is kept clean and left alone, it should heal in a few weeks.